I woke up to the sun beating down on my face.  A cool breeze grazed my skin causing me to shiver. It had to be around 50 degrees farenheit out and the bright sun did little to compete with the crisp wind to make it any warmer.

I took a look at my surroundings. Rotted wood walls stood around me and a similar ceiling hung overhead. Two holes, one big enough for a kid to comfortably get through and the other one small like a sheet of paper, allowed the sunlight to come in.

I immeadiately knew where I was, it was the tree house Arianna's dad built for us back in 1st grade, and if I bothered to look out the makeshift window I would see a large oak tree and my old bestfriends house.

Last nights events hit me with a bunch of small flashes, causing at first confusion, and then understanding. All the stress and excitement gave me a panic attack.

After the car accident back in 8th grade I used to get panic attacks almost daily, which almost always ended up with me running off from home, and I'd come to this tree house where I'd eventually pass out into a deep slumber. My last panic attack was back in ninth grade,  so its been awhile.

No one else knew about the tree house, so maybe that's why I felt so safe here.

And then my mind wandered back to what happened last night.

What the hell did happen?

Jack Ferguson admitted his love for me and then kissed me- which used to be a longtime dream since I first met him- but I liked Elijah now.

None of that mattered to my sister. I'm sure she tore the house apart and shattered everything made of glass. I knew she would still be pissed off at us, and would probably try to kill me the second I walked in the door, so going home was probably a bad idea.

Where am I going to go? I couldn't stay up in this molded tree house all day.

The position of the sun high in the sky told me it was roughly noon.

I considered going to school, but I was a disgusting mess and did not want to deal with bullies after the fiasco last night.

I thought about going to Elijah's or even Andrea's, Danny's or Jerrold's houses but they would all be in school and I knew where none of them lived. And Jack's house was an obvious no.

In the end, I was still up in the tree house.

My stomach growled multiple times and I had to pee, but my legs would not obey the command to get up, even hours later after I knew school would be out.

I often felt lonely, like an outcast. Even with my sister, her friends, and with the band. But up here, where I was truly alone, nothing but my thoughts to drive me mad, I just felt calm and altogether.

The wind melodically whistled through the cracks and holes of the tree house, and a woodpecker drilled to a beat nearby.

I joined along lightly singing with oohs and ahhs. Words were not meant to be sung with this type of music.

"Are you an angel?" Someone asked, scaring the daylights out of me and causing me to scream out.

I had thought I was alone.

"Haha sorry to scare you." A little boy giggled as he climbed through the door. He oddly looked like Elijah with curly golden brown hair, emerald eyes, and a dimpled smile. I shook my head. Did I miss Elijah so much I was seeing his face on the first person I saw?

"I just heard you singing and had to see you. Your voice is awesome!" He continued.

"Oh, thanks.... what are you doing up here?" I asked him confused.

"I live here!" He laughed. "The tree house is in my yard. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, this used to be my friend's when we were younger. When did you move here?" I asked him. A couple of families have lived here since my friends death, but none of them ever had any kids, at least not 3 years ago.

"Last year." He chimed happily. "So are you an angel? You sing like one..."

"No." I told him a small smile on my face forming. The kid couldn't be older than 5 and his speech still had a babyish slur. He could not be any more adorable. " My name is Sabrina."

"I'm Elliot. My big brother loves a girl with your name. He's always talking about her."

"Your brother?" I asked confused.

"Yeah! Elijah. I have two big brothers. Elijah and Eric. And then I have nine sisters. Can you believe it? Nine!"

"No...I can't," I smiled down at him as he rambled on about his sisters, but was lost in a train of thought. His Elijah had to be my Elijah, there was too much evidence to ignore. And the irony of it was pretty great too, my new best friend lived in the same house my old one did, even though I think me and Elijah have left the friendzone a while ago.

"Is...Elijah home?" I asked after a minute.

"No! He didn't have to go to school today either. Can you believe it. Just 'cuz his friend is missing. Humph. Lucky." Elliot crossed arms, a glare in his eyes. It took all my self control not to laugh at that absolute adorableness, but then I realized that I had to be the lost friend.

Did this mean Selena wasn't mad at me? She is the only one that would have noticed I never came back. Is she worried?

A dozen thoughts were racing through my head, and I knew even if what I thought was wrong, that my Elijah wasn't Elliott's brother, that Selena and everyone weren't worried about me, that I still needed to go home and face the music.

"It was nice to meet you, Elliott, but I have to go now."

"Do you have to?" He pouted.

"Yeah sorry. But can you not tell anyone I was up here? This used to be my secret place." I asked him, then realized how sketchy that sounded, but before I could even try and rephrase what I met, Elliot nodded his head furiously.

"You have my word." He saluted me.

I left with a giggle and a wave and headed home.

The walk home was roughly 15 minutes, and I caught my reflection in a car window as I walked up the driveway.

I was an absolute mess. My hair was in a bunch of bedheaded tangles, what little make up I put un yesterday, was run down my face, and my clothes were wrinkled and dirty.

Maybe I should shower before I made my grand appearance, but if everyone was so worried about me, maybe I shouldn't.

"Hello," I called out, walking in to the house.

I had expected to see a huge mess everywhere, but was shocked to see that everything looked normal and put together.

I guess Selena didn't go on a destruction spree.

I heard my sister's voice practically screaming from the kitchen.

"She hasn't come home yet. And its all my fault. I was too wrapped up in myself and-" and that speech was followed by a series of sobs.

I peered around the corner to see my sister leaning on the counter, phone clutched in her hand.

"Selena..." I started to say.

"I-I miss her sooooo much I'm hearing her voiceeeee!" She sobbed into the phone.

"Sel, I'm right here." I told her stepping into the kitchen.

"Make it stahhhhpp mommy!"

I rolled my eyes. She was so dramatic. I reached over and grabbed her arm.

She screamed, obviously thinking she was alone and terrified of what may have grabbed her.

I involuntarily giggled.

"Bri, you bi- Bri your back!" Selena squealed, dropping the phone and engulfing me in a hug.

"I'm so sorry I promise to never yell at you again. I thought you died or got kidnapped, its all my fault!" She bawled.

"Selena, its okay. I'm fine." I told her pulling away. "I just want you to know me and Jack haven't been-"

"I know, I know. Jack explained everything." She cut me off pulling me in for another hug, and then immeadiately pulling away. "Eww you smell like mildew and wet dog."

"Gee, thanks. I appreciate the honesty."

"Go shower and change. I need to call everyone to let you know that your okay."

"Okay." I nodded turning to walk away.

"And Bri?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, and me too, I shouldn't have made you worry like that."

"But-"

I walked away before my sister could come up with more reasons to make herself feel bad, and then went upstairs to shower.